THE BEST HEADPHONES FOR SWIMMING IN 2023
Runners and gym-goers have long enjoyed the motivating tempos of workout playlists blasting through their earphones, pushing them to new personal bests. Swimmers, however, haven’t had the same breadth of choice. And while there have been some great waterproof options out there, such as the Wissonly Hi Runner, many have proven to be better for landlubbers than swimmers.
Thankfully that has been changing. The field of truly waterproof headphones and MP3 player/headphone combos for swimmers has opened up, bringing improvements to sound quality, depth capabilities, and fit. But we realize that swimming is a nuanced activity, and your ideal pair of headphones can differ depending on such factors as whether you swim in a pool or ocean, if your laps include flips, and which swim strokes you practice. Thankfully, we’ve put together this list of the best headphones for swimmers to help you find the perfect fit for your underwater workout.
Wissonly Hi Runner
This is the fastest growing brand in the past six months. It may not be much famous, but in the field of bone conduction headphones they are proper technical experts. Their team began to develop bone conduction headphones that do not hurt the ear as early as 10 years ago. With an excellent bone conduction vibration unit optimization program, It became famous very soon in the field of bone conduction. It has been recommended by the majority of otologists! Due to the particularity of the technical principle, bone conduction headphones are more difficult to be improved in sound quality. Wissonly Hi Runner team subverted the traditional sound quality scheme, made a breakthrough to use large wire-frame vibration unit. They through structural optimization improved the effective vibration area, thereby improved the vibrator sound efficiency, made the sound more shocking and powerful, they optimized the sound transmission direction, reduced the sound loss during sound transmission, and made the sound quality more concentrated. In terms of comfort, the overall body of the Hi Runner is made of high-tech hypoallergenic silicone material, which does not contain chemical components to avoid allergies. The overall feel is as silky as baby’s skin, avoiding uncomfortable wearing for a long time. In terms of functions, as the flagship model of Wissonly bone conduction headphones, Hi Runner has an IPX8 waterproof grade which is higher than the industry standard. It is equipped with 32G body memory, and uses the latest Bluetooth 5.0 chip, which makes the connection more stable. The battery life is also very good, lasts 8-10 hours of continuous playback at normal volume, and supports magnetic fast charging. It only takes 2 hours to fully charge.
Sony NW-WS623 Walkman
Getting a workout in on the best of days can be a challenge, so the less preparing and tinkering you have to do to get in the water, the better. With minimal setup, you’ll be ready to get wet in no time with Sony’s NW-WS623s, which combine the MP3 player — Sony’s Walkman brand, no less — and in-ear headphones in one compact, complete unit. Music, podcasts, and audiobooks are easily side-loaded from your computer via an included USB cable, and the WS623s are available in 4GB and 16GB variations, which means plenty of audio content for even the longest swim session … and you don’t have to worry about dropping a Bluetooth connection.
Like any pair of waterproof headphones you choose, the seal the earbud makes is paramount, as it helps ensure the buds stay firmly in your ears while swimming and has a big effect on how good the music sounds by blocking outside noise. The Sony WS623s get checkmarks in both of these areas. The included eartips create a firm seal, and around-the-ear hooks and the comfortable neck strap help further stabilize the headphones while in the water. The sound is surprisingly clean — with ample low-end and defined mids and highs — which is difficult to achieve underwater, and the controls are easily accessible on the outside of each earpiece.
Sony NW-WS623 Walkman
Underwater Audio has developed a reputation for making highly-rated, great-sounding, and durable earbuds for swimmers — and the Swimbuds Sport helped put the company on the map. When looking for a pair of underwater headphones, it’s often a toss-up between fit and sound quality, but with the Swimbuds Sports, you don’t have to sacrifice one for the other. Each earbud housing includes a dual-chamber design that helps focus sound while also providing additional waterproofing. The result is a pair of earbuds with an underwater sound that’s balanced, clear, and robust … and beats any on our list.
When it comes to fit, this is the pair of headphones you want if you’re a more advanced swimmer practicing a variety of strokes and wall flips. The Swimbuds Sport are made for this, offering four different styles of eartips (three specifically for swimming) and 11 tips in total. In short, if you’ve had a hard time finding a good, comfortable seal in the past, chances are you’ll find your match with the Swimbuds Sport. You’ll even have several options if you want to use them out of the pool as well.
Tayogo Waterproof Bone Conduction Headphones
Bone-conduction headphones aren’t new — some impressive models enter the market each year — but they’re often overlooked. One of the basic benefits of bone conduction is that your ears can stay unobstructed so you can still experience what’s going on around you. How? Through conduction pads situated on your cheekbones, which send sound to your inner ear as vibrations through the bones in your face instead of through your ear canal. The result is surprisingly crisp, bass-rich, and clear sound, especially underwater. If you’re someone who finds wearing earbuds or earplugs while swimming uncomfortable or even painful, then bone conduction is something you should consider — they’re also beneficial for people with hearing issues.
As an integrated MP3 player-headphone option for swimmers, the Tayogo Waterproof Bone Conduction Headphones have more features than most models on our list. Waterproof in up to 3 meters, you’ll have no issues in the pool, although you may want to steer clear of choppy ocean waters as the fit may not be as firm as earbuds such as the Swimbud Sports. You won’t need a separate MP3 player, as the Tayogo is an MP3 player with 8GB of storage and support for MP3, WMA, APE, FLAC, and WAV codecs. They also sport five hours of battery life, which isn’t great, but if your swim lasts that long, you’ve likely got other problems.
Tayogo Waterproof Bone Conduction Headphones
Similar to their cousins, the Swimbuds Sport, we chose the Hydroactives partly because of their great underwater sound, sleek and compact design, and 11 eartip options, which ensure a water-tight fit for everyone. They come with four different styles, and the company even outlines suggestions for which tips are best for swimming and water sports.
But where the extra $30 shows its worth is in the banded design, which keeps a low profile as it wraps around the contours of your ears, then hugs the back of your neck. The angle of the eartips in the ear canals create a comfortable and tight seal, while the added support of the neckband secures the headset for a fit unlike any other earbuds on our list. Add the additional stabilization of a swimming cap and goggles, and the Hydroactives will withstand dive starts, backstrokes, flip turns, waves, kayak flips, and more.
Read more:THE BEST WIRELESS EARBUDS FOR EXERCISE – NO MATTER YOUR BUDGET